Panoramic Photographs Show Many "Lost" Irvington Structures

      Throughout 1937 and 1938, a photographer from the Bass Photo Company documented the construction of the new International Harvester factory buildings along Brookville Road in southern Irvington. Inadvertently, he captured many structures no longer standing. Houses, a tavern, filling stations, and even Butler University appear on the margins of the photos. The Indiana Historical Society has uploaded 31 panoramic views of the construction of the complex. I have provided a link below to one of these images so that you can conduct your own investigations. 

Lost Houses:  The Shimer Farmstead

     The Shimer family predates Irvington. They had owned land along Brookville Road since 1829. In 1873 they built a beautiful Italianate home near what is today the intersection of Brookville Road and South Audubon Road. International Harvester officials purchased their land in 1937 and eventually demolished all of the structures on the former farm. 

Corydon and Hettie Shimer sold their farm to the International Harvester Company in 1937. Both of them lived long enough to witness the demolition of their beautiful home located on Brookville Road near South Audubon Road. (courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

Builders began clearing the Shimer land in 1937. The Shimer home on Brookville Road near Audubon Road had just a little while longer to stand. (photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

A Bass Photo Company employee stood atop a ladder or on a rooftop and captured one of the last photos of the Shimer home located on Brookville Road near South Audubon Road in 1938. The home had been completely surrounded by the new International Harvester factory. (photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

The 1927 Baist Map of Indianapolis shows the Shimer farm located on Brookville Road near South Audubon Road. (IU-Indianapolis Digital Collections)

Lost Houses: 5400 Block of Brookville Road

     For several years, Herman (Harry) and Louise Grabhorn lived next to the Shimer farm at 5451 Brookville Road. Mr. Grabhorn ran a music printing business next to his house. Their lives changed when the bulldozers and earthmoving crews arrived to build the International Harvester factory next door. Factory officials would eventually buy the Grabhorn residence along with several other homes and demolish the structures as the factory grew. 

Herman (Harry) and Louise Grabhorn along with their children lived in the pretty house at 5451 Brookville Road seen in this photograph. They witnessed the rise of the International Harvester factory from their dining room windows in 1937 and 1938. (photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

Herman (Harry) Grabhorn was a printer and advertised on this building (demolished) behind his home at 5451 Brookville Road. Ghosts of workers can be seen in the foreground. (photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

The Grabhorn home at 5451 Brookville Road along with several others were demolished. They used to exist on the south side of Brookville Road just east of South Irvington Avenue. (Google)

Lost Houses: South Ritter Avenue

     There used to be several homes in the 400 and 500 block of South Ritter Avenue. It was a diverse area of the neighborhood and home to a small black population. At one time, the pioneering black suffragist, Carrie Whalon lived in the 400 block of South Ritter Avenue. By the 1930s when these photos were snapped, the street housed a mixture of black and white families. 

After Henry Cress, who resided on the west side of Ritter Avenue just south of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, died in 1901, his widow Mary sold off eight lots in the Chambers and Tomlinson Addition in the 400 and 500 block of South Ritter Avenue. The houses above were located just north of Brookville Road on the west side of South Ritter Avenue. Heavy equipment and trucks were parked along the nearby streets on March 18, 1938, for the construction of International Harvester on Brookville Road. (photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

George W. and Willa Molden resided at 471 South Ritter Avenue in 1938 when this photo was snapped. That home was demolished for a series of commercial buildings. Mr. Molden worked for the city sanitation department. You can also see the filling station at 5506 Brookville Road also later demolished. (photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

Lost: A Tavern and a Filling Station on Brookville Road

     Although the construction sign for International Harvester blocks our view, you can still see the brick filling station at 5498 Brookville Road. (demolished). Maurice Kitterman operated the station. Joseph H. Meese managed a tavern in the larger white building at 5478 Brookville Road in 1938. (photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

5478 and 5498 Brookville Road (both demolished) as they looked on March 18, 1938. (photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society.)

Lost: Butler University

     When the Bass Photo Company photographer snapped a long panoramic view of International Harvester on March 4, 1938, the employee had no idea that he was also documenting the last weeks of Butler University's Irvington campus. Opened in 1875, Butler University students attended classes in some of these buildings until 1928. For ten years, the structures sat vacant and fell to vandalism. Two weeks after this image was snapped, Butler officials razed the old campus for future redevelopment. 

Abandoned Butler University buildings and the power station tower loomed ghostly through the trees in a panoramic view of the construction of International Harvester on March 18, 1938. (photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

Lost: International Harvester/Navistar

     The opening of International Harvester in 1938 changed the trajectory of Irvington. With the Great Depression in full swing, the factory offered relief for hundreds of people who found work during the difficult era. Employees, both labor and management, moved into the neighborhood and kept it a vital place. Many of their descendants still live on the eastside of Indianapolis today. No panoramic photographer showed up in 2018 to document the demolition of the factory. The site is now a major distribution hub for the U.S. Post Office. 

The Indiana Historical Society has 31 different views of the construction of the International Harvester. To see those images, click on the link below. (photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

International Harvester Plant Construction

     I wish to thank Kent Hankins and Anne Hardwick for their assistance with this story.

Sources:  Navistar International Indianapolis Plant, Indianapolis, 1987; Polk's Indianapolis City Directories, 1901-1940; US Federal Census Records, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940; Baist Fire Insurance Maps, IU-Indianapolis Digital Collections; Walter F. Morse, "Old Butler Campus Fading; Administration Building Razed, Indianapolis Star, March 26, 1939, p. 10; Cress sale--"Sales of Real Estate," Indianapolis Journal, December 13, 1902, p. 8. 

Beautiful Irvington School Burned in 1898

      In the wee hours of the morning sometime around 3:30AM on December 16, 1898, the "Owl" train pulled into Irvington. Al Atkinson and another employee on the train noticed a glare in the distance and realized that the Irvington School was completely engulfed in flames. He tried to warn local officials about the fire. Some nearby residents like Robert E. Moore and the Earl family also saw and possibly heard the inferno. A few citizens tried to go into the building to rescue some of the books, but the heat and smoke kept them out. Because the town of Irvington had no proper fire protection, the small crowd had to helplessly watch the destruction of their beautiful school. 

     Built in 1874 in the Second Empire style, the school stood across the street from the Irving Circle Park on the southeast quadrant of University Avenue and South Audubon Road. As the population grew, the school board commissioned an addition to the original structure in 1896. Mary E. Plummer was the first principal of the school. The total cost of the building came in at around $20,000, but unfortunately town officials did not take out enough insurance for such a calamity. 

     A reporter for the Indianapolis News described that the light from the flames that night reflected onto the snowy ground. Eerie photos likely taken from the Earl home at 5631 University Avenue showed the various stages of the fire. The addition completed in 1896 tumbled into the ground while some of the walls of the original structure remained intact. If you look closely at two of the photos you will see the silhouettes of a small crowd. Everything was lost in the blaze including artwork and the school's library. Even some of the nearby trees were singed. Daniel Lesley, the president of the board of education, pledged that children would be back at school in some capacity by January. For the remainder of the new winter and spring term, classes met in various churches, lodges, and businesses throughout the community until a new school could be built. 

     The blaze had been the largest in the history of the town. This fire and others led many citizens to call for Irvington to be annexed by the city of Indianapolis which took place in 1902. Shockingly, the new school built just south of the current building burned in 1903 leading officials to rebuild yet again except at the new location at the intersection of East Washington Street and Ritter Avenue. That school would later be known as the George Washington Julian School, I.P.S. #57. 

The Irvington Public School (1874-1898) was possibly designed by Isaac Taylor with Joel Stover as the contractor. The school sat in a grove of trees across the street from the Irving Circle Park. This photo was likely snapped c1890. (Carrie Tompkins Scrapbook, Irvington Historical Society)

Students from the Irvington Public School gathered for this photograph on April 23, 1891. (Carrie Tompkins Scrapbook, Irvington Historical Society)

The Irvington Public School sat on the southeast quadrant of University Avenue  (then Grand Avenue) and South Audubon Road (then Central Avenue). After the fire it was removed for another school on the site which also burned in 1903. Later the section was developed into several lots for homes. (Map of Irvington, 1889)

Fire Photos

The fire in the Irvington Public School began in the early morning hours of December 16, 1898. The janitor in charge informed the school board that he had turned down the furnace before he left that day. Members of the Earl family likely took this photo from their home across the street just as the flames started to consume the structure. (Carrie Tompkins Scrapbook, Irvington Historical Society)

The second photo, likely taken from 5631 University Avenue on December 16, 1898, shows that the fire had now consumed the rear addition to the building (at the right). If you look closely, you can see silhouetted individuals in the foreground.  (Carrie Tompkins Scrapbook, Irvington Historical Society)

Adults on the left huddled together and children on the right, watched--most likely in horror and fascination as fire consumed the entire Irvington Public School on December 16, 1898. Irvington had no proper fire protection at the time. (Carrie Tompkins Scrapbook, Irvington Historical Society)

Indianapolis News, December 16, 1898, p. 8

Site of former Irvington School at University Avenue and South Audubon Road on December 13, 2025

Sources:  Lola Blount Conner, "Irvington's Children of the Early 70's Got First Glimpse of McGuffey Readers at Old Mt. Zion District School," Indianapolis Star, November 26, 1933, p. 49; B.R. Sulgrove, History of Indianapolis and Marion County, (Philadelphia, 1884), p.622; Construction--"Personal," May 9, 1873, p.3; Paul Diebold, Greater Irvington II, (Indianapolis, 2020), pp. 163-164; Fire--"Large Fire," Indianapolis News, December 16, 1898, p. 8. 

Ellenberger Ice Skating Rink Opened in 1961

      On November 19, 1961, excited eastside residents laced up their skates and hopped onto the very first outdoor public skating rink in Indianapolis. Built by the Charles R. Beltz Co. for $91,000, the rink remained uncovered until the late 1980s and closed in 2009. Although there is no longer ice, the building is still used today for inline hockey, lacrosse, and other groups. 

     In 1961, children paid an entrance fee of 25 cents while folks older than 17 had to fork out 50 cents. Skaters could use the warming house or shop at the concession stand. The park rented skates for 50 cents. Those who needed their skates sharpened could pay one dollar. Park officials warned that temperatures had to be in the low 50s for their chilling machine to work. 

     In the winter of 1964, Mary Dillon (later Sangsland), who lived at 5821 Julian Avenue and her friend, Cornelia Preuss, made their way north to Ellenberger Park. A member of the Dillon family snapped a few photos of the girls as they enjoyed their time on the rink. It was a sunny day although snow could be seen on the ground. It looks like it was a great afternoon to be outside and enjoying the park. The Irvington Historical Society possesses very few images of the skating rink so let us know if you have any that you could share! 

Mary Dillon (clad with a scarf) and her friend Cornelia Preuss posed for a photograph at the Ellenberger Ice Skating Rink in the winter of 1964. (photo courtesy of Mary Sangsland)

Skaters enjoyed the Ellenberger Ice Skating Rink in the winter of 1964. (photo courtesy of Mary Sangsland) 

     I wish to thank Mary Sangsland for the use of her photographs and for her stories of growing up on Julian Avenue. 

Sources:  Steven Barnett, "On Thin Ice," Weekly View, December 22, 2016, p. 1; "Ellenberger Rink To  Open," Indianapolis News, November 16, 1961, p. 30; "Public Ice Skating Rink to Open Thanksgiving Day," Indianapolis Star, November 21, 1962, p. 29; "Ellenberger Ice Skating Rink an Indoor Facility After Major Facelift Last Year," Indianapolis Star, February 3, 1989, p. D-7; Jason Thomas, "Eastside Skaters Urged To Go South," Indianapolis Star, August 9, 2009, p. T-3.

Irvington Had a Passenger Depot For 48 Years

      When Jacob Julian and Sylvester Johnson founded the new town of Irvington in 1870, they envisioned a passenger depot along the Panhandle (later Pennsylvania Railroad) to make it easier for homeowners and business folks to invest and live in the new community. That dream came to fruition in September of 1874 with the construction of the first station on what is now known as the northeast corner of Bonna Avenue and South Audubon Road. Edwin Williams served as the first agent for the brick depot. In the winter of 1882, town officials added a rear room complete with a pump for cold water. 

      Paul Diebold in his book Greater Irvington asserts that the station became the unofficial town hall and meeting place for the community during the early years. For a brief time, residents could receive their mail at the depot until 1885. They also voted in elections here. George Russell, a realtor and postmaster, operated the telegraph for the neighborhood and often on election nights, local citizens gathered in the building to learn of the results. 

      The station also became very important for Butler University college students, who traveled here from all over the state every September. A newspaper account in the Indianapolis News on September 13, 1892, documented the moments that Butler students arrived that year. The reporter noted that the first young people came with their books and trunks and stashed the items on the platform. They continued to arrive on various trains through the "dreary" day. Some made it in time to attend chapel. Classes didn't start for three days so they had time to settle in at their boarding houses or perhaps at the dorm. Anxious freshmen arrived with excited seniors to start or conclude chapters of their lives. The story at the depot repeated in May. 

     In 1922, officials announced that the little depot at Irvington would be closed and demolished. There was no need for it as there were now several streetcar lines servicing the area. After the demolition, contractors from the Pennsylvania Railroad erected a small shed on the site. By 1970 that structure had also been removed and the land was sold to Everett and Una Brown, who built a house on the narrow strip of land. The site of the former Pennsylvania Railroad was later converted into the Pennsy Trail. 

Citizens walked along the wooden platform in front of the Irvington Depot c1890. The brick structure served the community from 1874 until 1922. (courtesy of the Ron Huggler Collection, Irvington Historical Society)

The Irvington Passenger Depot formerly sat on the northeast corner of Bonna Avenue and South Audubon Road. (Map of Irvington, 1889, Irvington Historical Society)

The Irvington Depot Reprint (Indianapolis News, April 5, 1993, p.19)

A freight train steamed through Irvington during the winter of 1951. The Pennsylvania Railroad had a double track. To the right of the train you can see the shed that replaced the original depot. The most visible home in the photo is that of 5727 Bonna Avenue. The Gustin family lived in the house at the time that this photo was snapped. (photo courtesy of Martin Biemer of Classic Trains newsletter at trains.com)

Everett and Una Brown built this home at 135 South Audubon Road on the site of the former Irvington Depot in 1970. (photo snapped by Bill Gulde on June 18, 2023)

      I wish to thank Ron Huggler who documented much of the history needed for this post. His purchase of the top photo prompted him to build a diorama of the intersection of Bonna Avenue and South Audubon Road. You can see his creation at the Bona Thompson Memorial Center at 5350 E. University Avenue on the weekends from 1-4. 

Sources: Construction--"City News," Indianapolis News, September 3, 1874, p. 3; Enlargement--"City News, Indianapolis News, January 20, 1882, p. 4 and "City and Wayne Co.," Richmond Independent Telegram (IN), September 3, 1882, p. 3; Edwin Williams--"City News," Indianapolis News, April 28, 1874, p. 3; Election Site--"Warren Township Primary," Indianapolis Journal, May 12, 1898, p. 5; Election results via telegraph--Indianapolis News, October 13, 1903, p. 4; General articles--Grace Julian Clarke, "Irvington to Lose Station Built by Early Settlers," Indianapolis Star, May 5, 1922, p. 7; Paul Diebold, Greater Irvington II: Architecture, People, and Place on the Indianapolis Eastside, Indianapolis, 2020, pp. 206-207. 

Downey Avenue Christian Church Founded 150 Years Ago

      On September 19, 1875, 40 people gathered for the very first formal religious service conducted in the new town of Irvington. With just a smattering of houses scattered here and there, the community welcomed what would be known as Butler University in 1875. Ovid Butler, the founder of the college, associated the university with the Disciples of Christ, a denomination founded in the United States in the early nineteenth century. The new administration building on campus had a chapel and it was in that room that the Disciples worshipped and prayed for 18 years. Most of the members came from the college, but services were open to all. Butler students were required to attend during those early years.

     The weather on that Sunday in 1875 turned cooler and into the 40s so Professor John O. Hopkins recommended that the congregants move into his classroom where it was warmer. He also preached the first sermon. Later that year, the church welcomed 87 charter members. Nearby, many local residents gathered at Pleasant Run Creek for baptisms. An Indianapolis News article in 1879 reported that the church baptized 30 new members in the icy stream. As both the town and the college grew, the Disciples needed a larger space. That dream became a reality in 1893 with the dedication of a new brick church located at 111 South Downey Avenue. 

The chapel in the Administration Building (Butler Hall) served as the first space for members of the Disciples of Christ in Irvington to worship. (photo courtesy of the Irvington Historical Society)

The Brick Church (1893-1952)

     On September 5, 1892, church members broke ground at 111 South Downey Avenue for their first sanctuary away from the Butler campus. Designed by William F. Sharpe of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and erected by J.H. Jameson, the brick structure had several gables and a bell tower. At the dedication ceremony on April 9, 1893, congregants sat on carved oak pews and heard a sermon by the Reverend Carey E. Morgan, a Butler University graduate. Many of his former teachers sat in the pews before him.   

     Participation in the church swelled with the new facility. In 1914, the board added an education building just south of the church. The arrival of the Christian Board of Missions nearby also increased membership as many employees attended services at Downey Avenue Christian Church. Sunday schools, Boy Scout troops, and Camp Fire Girls increased the participation of younger Irvington residents in the church. 

     With the church population rising and repairs needed on the 59-year-old structure, the board of directors made the surprising decision to tear down the brick structure for a modern stone edifice.  There is no evidence that church members disapproved of this decision although it was likely that a few might have mourned the loss of the pretty church. 

       

Sketch in the Indianapolis News, February 24, 1892, p. 6

View of Downey Avenue Christian Church from South Downey Avenue looking north towards Julian and Downey Avenues in 1952 (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1952 from Julian Avenue; You will note the Education Building was  just south of the structure. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Members of the Downey Avenue Christian Church at 111 South Downey Avenue could enter through doors on Julian or Downey Avenues. This photo was likely taken in 1952. Frederick William (Bill) Wiegmann served as the minister. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Easter services in 1952 served as the final time that Downey Avenue Christian Church members attended worship in the brick church. The structure was razed shortly after this service. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Members of a Sunday School program posed for this photograph in 1934 at the Downey Avenue Christian Church at 111 South Downey Avenue. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

The Stone Church (1953--?)

     After the board decided to build a new church building, they hired Edward J. Clark to design the new structure. The architect had designed numerous churches in Indiana including the nearby Linwood Avenue Christian Church at 4424 East Michigan Street. The new church, a "modified" Gothic, was to be clad in limestone from southern Indiana. With a seating capacity for 475 people in the main hall, Clark also added room for 375 additional people in "Fellowship Hall." He included a youth chapel, rumpus rooms, and parlors. The cost came in at $250,000. 

     On a snowy Sunday morning on December 14, 1952, hundreds of church members gathered on the site for the cornerstone laying. Paul F. Brown, the board president, presided while Frederick W. Wiegmann and other dignitaries offered prayers and words. Ida Lamberson Russell, who had the distinction of being present at the 1893 dedication, "helped" to put the stone in place. Also assisting was Hilton U. Brown, the venerable publisher of the Indianapolis News. Both of them had witnessed Irvington grow from a small village into a thriving neighborhood. Several members placed items into the cornerstone box. John D.  Bruckman added a bible. Other items included an invitation to the 1893 dedication, a ceremonial shovel used to break ground, and various church programs. 

     The sanctuary opened in 1953 and for 72 years, the structure has been part of the neighborhood. In 2005, the congregation had a shock when an arsonist attempted to damage the building. Quick work by the fire department saved the structure allowing the congregation to restore the church. The Downey Avenue Christian Church is the oldest denomination within the boundaries of Irvington followed by the Irvington Methodist Church and First Baptist Church. On December 7, 2025, the congregation will be hosting a special service celebrating 150 years in operation with a reception afterwards. 

Frederick William Wiegmann, Francis W. Payne, and Paul F. Brown placed the ceremonial box into the cornerstone on December 14, 1952. We do not know the name of the boy in the photo so if you recognize him, let us know! Behind the crowd, you can see the Creighton Apartments located on the northwest corner of Julian and Downey Avenues. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

On December 14, 1952, Downey Avenue Christian Church members gathered to lay the cornerstone of their new church. Beyond the group you can see the former Scot Butler home at 124 South Downey Avenue. In 1952, the house served as the American Legion Post No. 38. To the north of that house you can see the side of 5339 Julian Avenue. That home along with the Butler residence and another house at 5319 Julian Ave were torn down to make way for the new mid-century Board of Church Extension structure. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

On December 14, 1952, Downey Avenue Christian Church members filed past their new building under construction. Behind the beams, you can see the former educational building that had served the church since 1914. It was later razed for a new fellowship hall. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Workers placed beams into position for the new Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1952. Behind the crew you can see the Creighton Apartments and homes along both Julian and Downey Avenues. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Workers for E. B. Ball finished the new Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1953. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Associate Minister Enos Nelson preached to a packed congregation at the Downey Avenue Christian Church in 1953. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

Teens gathered for a Friday night dance in Fellowship Hall adjacent to the church c1955 (photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

The board added a new education wing to the church in 1962. (Photo courtesy of Don Rouse)

The congregation added beautiful stained glass windows to the sanctuary in 1975 in honor of the centennial of the church. (photo courtesy of Don Rouse) 

     I wish to thank Don Rouse for his generosity in loaning me photos for this post, and for providing key historical information.

Sources: George Earle Owen,  A Century of Witness: A History of the Downey Avenue Christian Church, 1875-1975, Indianapolis, 1975; Early Years--"City News," March 31, 1879, 4; Brick Church--"A New Church in Irvington," Indianapolis News, September 5, 1892, p. 2; "Irvington's New Church," Indianapolis News, December 24, 1892, 6; "New House of Worship," Indianapolis Journal, April 10, 1893, 3; "Irvington Church Dedicated," Indianapolis News, April 10, 1893, p. 6; Stone Church--"Downey Avenue to Break Ground," Indianapolis News, May 3, 1952, 4; "Downey Avenue to Lay Stone," Indianapolis News, December 13, 1952, 3; "New Irvington Church Ceremony to be Tomorrow," Indianapolis Star, December 13, 1952, 12; "Downey Avenue Congregation to Dedicate New Edifice," Indianapolis Star, October 31, 1953, 10; Architect--"Edward J. Clark Dies: Designed Many Churches," Indianapolis Star, January 29, 1965, 9. 

Irvington Plaza Held Grand Opening in 1955

     On May 11, 1955, local east-side residents flooded into the newly-built Irvington Plaza. Built on 22 acres of land just east of Irvington, the strip mall with its 17 shops offered just about any product one could need. Neighbors could buy their groceries at the Atlas Supermarket or at Kroger's. Schiff's and Marott's offered a variety of shoes while Jack and Mack's Men's Shop sold suits and ties. Would-be engaged couples could try on a ring at National Jewelry Co. Fran's Tot Shop sold items for children. Neighbors could drop off their clothes at Progress Laundry and Dry Cleaning and then buy some new bedding at Dayan's Linen Store. Hardware or other products needed for the home could be found at Atlas Department Store or at Haugh's Hardware. Prescriptions could be picked up at Haag's Drug Store. Residents who were not in the mood to cook could dine at the Flamingo Restaurant or pick up some pastries at Omar's Bakery. 

     For added convenience, the Irvington Plaza Corporation headed by C.B. Durham provided 1600 parking spots.  Drivers could use the "cruise lane" next to the mall to window shop from their cars. A roof over the wide sidewalks helped to keep patrons dry on rainy days as they walked from shop to shop. The entire venture cost 3.5 million dollars. The corporation planned to build additional strip malls on the south and west side of the property. Of course, this large development along with another at the nearby Eastgate Shopping Mall spelled doom for many Irvington merchants, who couldn't offer the parking spaces nor the volume of product. 

     Each night from May 11 until May 14, 1955, merchants kept their doors open late so that locals could square dance from 7PM until 11PM. Shorty Shehan, Lula Belle, Curly Myers, and Charlie Gore called for dancers to "grab their partner and dosey doe."  During the day, eastsiders could enter contests for various drawings. Some lucky folks won a $1000 carat-and-half diamond ring, a mink stole, a bicycle, and even a refrigerator. As exciting as it must have been seen at the time, the concept of a mall clearly has a lifespan. The plaza in 2025 is a shell of what Mr. Durham and others envisioned for the community. 

Postcard of the Irvington Plaza in 1955 (Irvington Historical Society)

The vast parking lot offered community members a chance to ride on a commuter bus from the Irvington Plaza to downtown. (Irvington Historical Society)

The Irvington Plaza Corporation developed the eastern part of the property in 1955. Later they added several stores in the southern and western sections. (Indianapolis Star,  November 18, 1954, p. 44)

An ad for the new Irvington Plaza (Indianapolis News, May 18, 1955, p. 22)

Lula Belle, Curly Myers, Shorty Shehan, and Charlie Gore were so popular that the merchants at Irvington Plaza offered a second week of square dancing. (Indianapolis News, May 11, 1955, p. 21)

Sources: "Irvington Plaza Jubilee Has Gala Opening," Indianapolis News, May 11, 1955; "!50,000 Live in Shop Area," Indianapolis News, May 11, 1955. 

Clapp Family Operated an Irvington Grocery Store For 50 Years

     For nearly fifty years, Irvington residents shopped at the Clapp Brothers (also known as the Clapp Food Market) Grocery at 6044 East Washington Street. Originally from Hartsville, Indiana, siblings William C. and John P. Clapp relocated to Beech Grove, Indiana in the early twentieth century. John P. Clapp ran the Beech Grove operation while William C. Clapp moved to Irvington in 1916 and opened a store at 7 North Webster Avenue. He also bought a house at 6024 East Washington Street for himself and his wife, Ora Belle Moore Clapp, and for his children, Climpson, Leland, and Ima Clapp.  In 1924, William C. Clapp moved the store into a much larger newly-constructed building at 6044 East Washington Street. 

      Mr. Clapp ran the business for many years before turning it completely over to his son, Climpson "Pete" Clapp. The Irvington Historical Society possesses photographs, letters, ledgers, and other ephemera from the Clapp family. The operation was shuttered in 1973. The Clapps would not recognize their storefront today as it has been greatly altered over the years. 

 

Employees of the Clapp Brothers Grocery at 6044 East Washington Street posed for this snapshot on April 30, 1926. William C. Clapp is likely standing in front of the Beech Grove transport vehicle. You can also see the Adde's Pure Oil Filling Station at 6040 East Washington Street. That building still stands in 2025. The Levy family home at 6036 East Washington Street is also visible. (courtesy of the Irvington Historical Society)

Ads for Easter products hang in the window of Clapp Brothers Grocery at 6044 East Washington Street on April 30, 1926. (courtesy of the Irvington Historical Society) 

William Clark Clapp (top center) posed with his brothers c1940. The men all hailed from Hartsville, Indiana. While we are not able to match their faces yet, Edgar, John, Calvin, and Samuel Clapp reunited for this photograph. (Irvington Historical Society) 

Interior shot of Clapps Brothers Regal Grocery Store c1934; We can narrow down the date of this image by the fact that Mr. Clapp displayed a National Recovery Act sign in his store. This New Deal agency was in operation from 1933 until it was struck down by the US Supreme Court in 1935. (Irvington Historical Society)

Store display for Thanksgiving c1934 (Irvington Historical Society)

Clapp Brothers first operated around the corner at 7 North Webster Avenue from 1916 until 1924. That building is still standing in 2025. (Irvington Historical Society)

Promotional ad for Clapp Brothers Food Market (Irvington Historical Society)

Notepad for Climpson Moore Clapp Food Market complete with the hours of operation (Irvington Historical Society)

Some of the Clapp Grocery Store records have survived including this document that shows the names of employees and their weekly salary in 1945. Omer Kehl worked as a meat cutter. Others include Eileen Bangel, Tom Carmack, and George R. Smith. (Irvington Historical Society)

Google Streetview reveals that the Clapp Brothers Market is still standing but unrecognizable in 2025. The filling station and nearby house shown in the earlier photos also still stand. (Google)

     I wish to thank the extended Clapp family who donated items to the Irvington Historical Society.

Sources:  Polk's Indianapolis City Directories, 1908-1973; Federal Census Records, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940; Newspaper articles: "Building Permit" (6024 East Washington St.), Indianapolis News, June 21, 1916, p. 16;  "Building Permits," (6044 East Washington St.) Indianapolis Star, January 10, 1924, p. 14; Obituaries:  "W.C. Clapp, Irvington Grocer, Is Dead," Indianapolis News, March 18, 1944, p. 9; "Mrs. Ora Clapp," Indianapolis Star, January 5, 1960, p. 21: "John Clapp, Beech Grove Civic Leader, Succumbs, Indianapolis Star, November 7, 1943, p. 13; "Climpson Clapp, 1897-1978," Indianapolis News, March 21, 1978, p. 28.